1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape-cartridge case, for example, for a video-tape cartridge, through a transparent part of which a bar code provided at a side of the tape cartridge is directly readable from outside the case with a bar-code reader.
2. Description of the Related Art
Previously proposed tape-cartridge cases are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,054,206 and 4,231,474. A tape-cartridge case 1 of those kinds comprises, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, an upper plate 5, a lower plate 4, a connecting plate 2, which connects the upper plate 5 to the lower plate 4 through a pair of hinges 3, a U-shaped side wall 7 projecting upwards in FIG. 10 from the upper plate 5, and a rectangular side wall 6 similarly projecting upwards in FIG. 10 from the lower plate 4. The case 1 is made of transparent synthetic resin and the hinge 3 comprises a V-notch.
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a tape cartridge 8 is fitted into the rectangular side wall 6 to be horizontally set on the lower plate 4. To prevent the tape cartridge 8 from rattling in the rectangular side wall 6, a plurality of inwardly projecting portions 6a are provided near or at the corner of the rectangular side wall 6 so as to be brought into contact with four side surfaces of the tape cartridge 8, right and left side surfaces 8a, a front side surface 8b and a rear side surface 8c.
As a result, there are formed a plurality of spaces 9 enclosed by the side surface 8a, 8b, 8c of the tape cartridge 8, the inside of the rectangular side wall 6, and the inwardly projecting two portions 6a of the rectangular side wall 6, which are adjacent to each other. Height H.sub.1 of the rectangular side wall 6 is about one-half of the height H.sub.2 of the tape cartridge 8, and height H.sub.3 of the U-shaped side wall 7 is substantially the same as the height H.sub.2 of the tape cartridge 8.
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the upper plate 5 is fold about the pair of hinges 3 and placed in a position parallel with the lower plate 4 just over the lower plate 4. At that time, the U-shaped side wall 7 is overlaid upon the rectangular side wall 6 from outside the rectangular side wall 6, and a pair of pawls 10 (FIG. 9) formed integrally with the U-shaped side wall 7 on the inside thereof are engaged with the outer recess of the rectangular side wall 6 as shown in FIG. 12.
As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, a bar code 12 is printed, or a bar-code lable 11 is adhered to the right and left side surfaces 8a of the tape cartridge 8, and the bar code 12 is read from outside the tape-cartridge case 1 by a bar-code reader 13 through either a right or left portion 6b of the rectangular side wall 6 and right or left portion 7a of the U-shaped side wall 7. That is, a laser beam emitted by the bar-code reader 13 is reflected on the bar code 12, and then, the reflected beam strikes on the surface of the bar-code reader 13, so that the bar code 12 is read by the bar-code reader 13.
Selected as a material for the tape-cartridge case 1 of this kind a transparent synthetic resin, which is generally does not transmit light well, but is weatherproof and offers resistance against fatigue in the hinges 3. Moreover, in the previously proposed tape - cartridge case 1, the bar code 12 is read by the bar-code reader 13 through double side walls, through not only the portion 6b of the rectangular side wall 6 but also the portion 7a of the U-shaped side wall 7, so that it is rather difficult to read the bar code 12 because of interference by the doubly overlaid side walls 6 and 7.
In addition, there is the gap 9 between the side surface 8a of the tape cartridge 8 and the inside of the rectangular side wall 6, so that even if the bar-code reader 13 is pressed against the portion 7a of the U-shaped side wall 7 as shown in FIG. 13, there remains a large distance 1.sub.1 between the end of the bar-code reader and the bar code 12.
Thus, in the previously proposed tape-cartridge case 1, reading the bar code 12 by means of the bar-code reader 13 is difficult and time consuming.